New research from the Smithsonian Institution and the University of Maryland reveals that lunar fault structures may be currently active in regions targeted for upcoming lunar missions. This study challenges long-held beliefs about the Moon's geological inactivity.
For decades, scientists have studied the Moon to understand its geological history. Evidence from the lunar maria suggested significant compression billions of years ago, leading to the assumption that the Moon's geological activity had ceased.
However, this new study indicates that the Moon's surface may still be dynamic. Researcher Jaclyn Clark and her team discovered that small ridges on the Moon's far side are younger than previously recognized formations on the near side. Clark noted, "Many scientists believe that most of the Moon's geological movements happened two and a half, maybe three billion years ago, but we're seeing that these tectonic landforms have been recently active in the last billion years and may still be active today."
The researchers identified 266 previously unknown small ridges on the far side, which formed within the last 200 million years. Using crater counting techniques, they established that these ridges are tectonically active, with formations cutting through existing impact craters.
The similarities between the far-side ridges and those on the near side suggest they were created by similar geological forces, likely due to the Moon's gradual shrinking and orbital shifts. NASA's Apollo missions had previously detected shallow moonquakes, and these findings may indicate a connection to ongoing seismic activity.
Clark emphasized the importance of these discoveries for future lunar missions, stating, "Knowing that the Moon is still geologically dynamic has very real implications for where we're planning to put our astronauts, equipment, and infrastructure on the Moon."